The Voice 2013 to launch on Easter Saturday with Doctor Who – Battle Rounds being filmed NOW!

We loved the singing competition last year, particularly the earlier stages, so we’re pretty psyched to find out that the second UK series of the show will be starting on BBC One over the Easter weekend.

It’s been confirmed that Will.i.am, Jessie J, Tom Jones and Danny O’Donoghue will all be back in their big red spinny chair thingies on Saturday 30th March, the same night that Doctor Who returns to our screens. We predict that the Beeb will dominate the ratings that night.

The series will of course start with the blind auditions, which will see the four coaches (coaches not judges remember?) sitting with their back to the stage, as singers try out for them nervously. The coaches only turn around to face the wannabes if they want them for their team and if more than one coach spins, then the performer gets to choose who they want to work with.

The BBC has tweaked and changed the format a bit this year, after ratings dwindled during the live rounds in 2012.

A source told the Daily Star newspaper: ”There is a lot riding on ‘The Voice’ this year. It needs to succeed to prove its critics wrong.”

Last year The Voice stormed past Britain’s Got Talent in the ratings during it’s early stages, but when the live shows kicked off and it was going head to head with Simon Cowell and the BGT finals, it shed more than half it’s viewers.

Ratings dropped from an astounding 13 million for the first episode to six million during the live shows, so this year there will be just three live rounds (the quarter final, semi final and final) with more time being spent in the battle rounds.

The series will feature five blind audition episodes, followed by five battle rounds in which the Jessie, Tom, Danny and Will will pair their acts and watch as they go head to head in a duet. They can only save one singer per pair.

In a new twist, the celebrities will also be able to save one singer who was axed from one of their rival’s teams to join their own group.

The audition stages were filmed in the BBC’s centre in Salford last month and this weekend the judges will come together once more to work on the brilliant battle rounds. The Voice’s official Facebook page revealed:

“We’re filming the Battle Rounds this weekend. There will be fireworks (vocal ones).”

Fans on twitter are getting excited and one tweeted:

“Watching the voice battle rounds from series 1. So hyped for series 2 tbh @BBCTheVoiceUK :)”

Have a watch of one of our favourite battles form last year and tell us, are you as excited as we are? Leave your comments below….